Mother Cap and the Glorious Heather

This week was heather week, we had decided to go and have a look at Hathersage Moor around Higger Tor and Carl Wark. We got parked up about 06:50 with only one other car there. We parked next to the gate where the ice cream van normally parks at the top of Padley Gorge. We crossed Burbage Brook and walked up the holloway which is an old packhorse route, crossed the road to Surprise View car park and then up through the woods to Mother Cap. The heather was lovely around Mother Cap and up to Over Owler Tor. I climbed onto the top of the rocks at Over Owler Tor with my brother Rob and the views from there were just staggering, heather as far as the eye could see. We carried on to Wynyards Nick and followed the track towards Toads Mouth Bridge. Half way down we found a bench to sit on so that's where we had our breakfast. Two lovely ladies came jogging up the track and stopped for a chat, Geoff knew the area where they had come from in Scotland and brought back some memories for them. After breakfast we headed back down through the heather and bracken to Burbage Brook and followed the footpath all the way back to the car park. The car park was full now and there were 2 ice cream vans not just one.

This weeks route around Hathersage Moor.

Footbridge over Burbage Brook

The Holloway over Lawrence Field

Me

Looking down the Holloway

Owler Tor

Looking over to Longshaw estate

Two togs at the famous Lawrence field tree

Rob

Mother Cap surrounded by heater

The Hathersage Moor Beast

Abandoned Millstone with Mother Cap in the background

Mother Cap Grit stone rock

Rob

Higger Tor and Carl Wark in the distance

Me being swallowed by the heather

Geoff

Ike & Rob

Geoff, Ike & Rob

Two lovely ladies just came running out of nowhere

Breakfast stop

Burbage Brook

Fantastic peat coloured water 

Ice Cream wars

Robs car with Higger Tor in the background

A quick grab shot while driving through Bakewell

 This was a very short walk only 2 1/2 miles but the views were stunning. We picked a great day for it, the temperature was only 6 degrees on the drive up but quickly picked up when the sun came through. This has got to be one of the best area's in Derbyshire to view the heather and we weren't disappointed.
See you next week.